Haatchi & Little B: The Inspiring True Story of One Boy and His Dog
Written by Wendy Holden
Narrated by Gabrielle Glaister
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
#1 International Bestseller
When Owen met Haatchi, the lives of one adorable little boy and one great, big dog were destined to change forever.
Owen-known to his family as "little buddy" or "Little B"-has a rare genetic disorder that leaves him largely confined to a wheelchair. Before being united with Haatchi, Little B was anxious and found it difficult to make friends.
Haatchi-an adorable Anatolian Shepherd puppy-was abused and left for dead on railroad tracks. He was struck by an oncoming train, and although his life was saved, his leg and tail were partially severed. Haatchi was left massively disabled and totally dispirited.
But kind-hearted Will and Colleen Howkins, Little B's father and step-mother, decided to introduce the big dog and the little boy to each other, and an unbelievable bond was formed that transformed both boy and dog in miraculous ways.
Wendy Holden's Haatchi & Little B is the true story of an astonishing little boy, a very special dog, and the inspiring, inseparable pair that they make together.
Wendy Holden
Wendy Holden was a journalist for eighteen years, including a decade at the Daily Telegraph. She is the author and coauthor of more than thirty books, among them several internationally acclaimed wartime biographies, plus the New York Times bestsellers A Lotus Grows in the Mud (with Goldie Hawn) and Lady Blue Eyes (with Frank Sinatra's widow, Barbara). She lives in Suffolk, England, with her husband and two dogs, and divides her time between the UK and the US.
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Reviews for Haatchi & Little B
3 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I'm one of Haatchi and Little B's many followers on FaceBook, and I was really looking forward to reading their story. Normally, I love this sort of thing: a young boy bravely battles adversity (in the form of an extremely rare and painful genetic disorder) and finds comfort and support from an equally brave rescue dog (in this case, a huge, protective Anatolian Shepherd who was saved after being hit by a train). Meanwhile, the boy's divorced father (a dashing corporal in the RAF) finds new love with a beautiful, kindhearted woman from New Zealand. It sounded like it should be an enjoyable read, even if the premise is a little saccharine. But I was disappointed. This book did not meet even my modest expectations. Its primary flaw is the writing. Wendy Holden drains all the energy out of this intrinsically moving and heartwarming story by adopting an omniscient authorial voice that relentlessly tells, tells, tells rather than shows. For example, in this passage Haachi and Little B receive an award: "The presentation was made at the House of Lords...Haatchi received his trophy from Brian May, the lead guitarist from the band Queen...Colleen thought he was wonderful with both Haatchi and Owen. The family was given superstar treatment, and Little B was on top of the world. He sat at the head of the table and everybody came to talk with him...The press took photographs...It was a day the family will never forget" (pp. 114-115). This book's lifeless, cliche-ridden prose makes even accepting an award from a legendary rock star in an historic setting sound dull.I wasn't expecting Haatchi and Little B to be great literature. But it could have been much better written than it was.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Recommended for: EVERYONE!!!!Read from June 19 to 21, 2014 — I own a copyHaatchi & Little B: The Inspiring True Story of One Boy and His Dog is such an incredible story of love, devotion, courage, sacrifice, healing, and forgiveness. It's an inspiring true story of heroic people that refuse to be defeated by the inhumane cruelty of man, about those willing to go the extra mile and a half to save a soulful Anatolian Shepherd, found dying on a railway track and facing certain death. Haatchi & Little B: The Inspiring True Story of One Boy and His Dog is a magical story of how fate brought a three pawed, gentle giant to a loving, little boy and a forever home. Dog and boy would always require special attention due to their own special needs but HOW did the Fates know that placing Haatchi with Little B would be the perfect saving grace for both?! Karma. The BEST kind of Karma that brought about the best of everyone that came in contact with the Howkin's and their beloved dog, Haatchi.East London, January 9, 2012, was a night of horror for the Anatolian Shepherd puppy. That someone had intentionally placed the animal in harm's way is certain. After being struck by the train, tail and back leg horribly mangled, the dog managed to crawl to partial-safety, where he was found bleeding to death. Cruel intentions were thwarted on this bitter night. A dog was about to change the lives of many.Less than 50 miles away, Little B (Little Buddy) was facing struggles of his own, diagnosed with a rare condition known as Schwartz-Jampel syndrome.This is a story about a boy and his dog and how each found strength, courage, and independence from the other."It was as if Little B had been a bud waiting for the light and love of Haatchi to wake his flower."I have to say, when I picked up this book that I had received as an ARC giveaway for review, I was in a depressed state of mind, feeling sorry for myself and brooding over the horrible week I'd had. As I began reading the first few chapters, I started crying tears of sorrow. How can a human treat a dog so cruelly? WHY?! When dog and boy were introduced and began to heal each other, I REALLY cried tears of joy, my faith in humanity restored. Haatchi and Little B's story has once again touched someone's life and managed to bring about a smile and inspiration to my day. Powerful stuff!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Haatchi and Little B is a true dog rescue story that is at its heart, a love story. Haatchi, a 5 month old Anatolian Shepherd, was run over by a train in London, England. How he got on to the train track, whether by abuse, or neglect by a suspicious looking man seen near the tracks, only Haatchi knows. But somehow by the grace of God, and the act of many strangers he survived his horrific injuries. It was grace again that kept him from being put down, because in England his breed is considered aggressive, the same way we think of Pit Bulls here in America. Even though the truth is bad owners train these dogs to fight viciously, taking their trait of being guard dogs and protectors, which in the right hands can make them good family dogs, but breeding them to get more strength and aggression. Little B, AKA Owen, is a boy with a rare genetic disorder that has caused his muscles to tense, causing pain and damage to his joints. This disorder gives his body and face a twisted and unusual look. Because of this, Little B was becoming more and more withdrawn. He never wanted to be in public, because people stared at him. That changed when Colleen Drummond, his step-mother, found a picture of Haatchi online, and falls for the dogs soulful face, and because she has worked with dogs she wants to give him a chance. Then Little B’s father Will sees his picture and is captivated by his look too. It’s when Little B meets this giant 3 legged dog with no tail that it is love at first sight and they decide to keep him. There are many challenges for them both, and along with the challenges great rewards. The author basically keeps to the facts so it reads more like an interesting article then a novel. I learned a lot about animal rescue in England. I briefly heard about this story on FB so I appreciated her reference to their pages. We have rescued 3 dogs, and I always share other animals’ pictures that need homes. This was an advanced reader’s copy, so I’m sure the published copy will have great pictures of these two sweet souls. 4 stars.